Luciscum
Luciscum, commonly known as Black City of Chains, is a large port city on the coast of Skyrim. The population worship many religions, but the most prevalent one is the worship of a Cathnoquey god known as Servios, who the city's nobility worship. The poorer men and slaves of the city also claim that there are lower aspects of Servios, but they aren't paid much mind. History Having been founded in the fourth era, Luciscum has a rich and bloody history, unlike some of the new kingdoms arising from the shattered Tamriel. Founding Luciscum was founded in 4E 300 by the legendary figure known as Mercii the Architect. It upon the ruins of Dawnstar, which had been sacked by the Aldmeri Dominion during the second great war. Mercii allegedly built the city out of obsidian blocks carried from Morrowind by giants enslaved to his will. The city was built to withstand year-long sieges and blockades, with four layers of walls, each higher than the other. Upon the city's completion, Mercii had his clan of Quey migrants settle the city. He also sold citizenship to Imperial nobles fleeing from the great war in Cyrodiil. He used the money to use better transportation for his materials, before leaving to construct the cities Lupas and Solotium. The Quey traditions eventually influenced the nobility left to rule the city, who legalized slavery within the city. They later even welcomed other refugees into the grand city, so long as they accepted their fate as slaves bound to their masters. The Bleeding Year While Mercii constructed the city of Lupas in the west, the newly formed aristocracy began to argue over how the city should be ruled. The Cyrodiilic nobles wanted a King, the Queys wanted the ability to elect, and others wanted to be ruled over be a council. Almost immediately after slavery was legalized, some of the more pious nobility retaliated by taking control of the city. They failed and were all stripped of rank and enslaved, with all their riches confiscated. Two months later, a war broke out on the streets. The aristocracy who had sided together not some time ago were at each other's throats again, fighting in open war against each other. Slave soldiers, mercenaries, nobility and even neutral refugees died everyday for the entire year. By the end of the year, only 3 of the 40 noble houses of the city were living. By then Mercii the architect had already finished his construction of Lupas, on top of the forgotten ruins of Solitude. After having seen what happened in Luciscum, he established the city would be ruled by Magisters and merchants, instead of pure aristocracy. When the 3 houses left in Luciscum saw Mercii's action, they noticed the error in their ways. The families, known as Qhaedii, Titinii, and Sertorii, then established the Triarchy. This system of government had all citizens of the city elect three members of the nobility to the position of Triarchs, which were absolute rulers with equal power that were elected each year. Any man or woman of noble status could be raised to Triarch indefinitely, so long as it was done through vote and note force. The most valiant of slave warriors and mercenaries were raised to nobility, so citizens would have a wide range of options. In respect of the Bleeding Year, the day of election is a day of total anarchy, where no laws but the laws of election apply to free citizens. Crimes such as murder and theft could not be punished legally until the day after, but murderers and thieves could be killed on the spot by anyone who saw them in the process. Those who murdered thieves and murderers were only fined when the election day was over. The War of the Winter Kings In the year 4E 460, after the Aldmeri Dominion failed at conquering Skyrim, five members of the Companions roused the people of skyrim, forming hordes of warriors yearning for conquest. The five decided to all be kings in there own right, who would bow down only to a High King. Within a year, each had conquered lands of ther own. Fortresses, holds and villages fell to them until nothing in skyrim was free except the cities of the Volen Coast. Recognizing the threat to their economy and independence, Triarch Benerro Qhaedus of Luciscum proposed an alliance with the two sister cities to hold against the warlords. Three times, Luciscum went under siege, holding the invaders off everytime. When the third siege was ended, the armies of the slaver cites met at Luciscum before heading towards the hold of Whiterun. The reign of the Winter kings was ended soon after, when the army took on the guise of nords swearing fealty and sacked the city of Whiterun, enslaving the population and killing all five of the winter kings during their own moot. The armies of the Kings then retreated out of skyrim in terror, with some of them later founding nord kingdoms in Cyrodiil, High Rock, and Morrowind. Expansion Upon the end of the Volen coast's mitary alliance, the cities all chose lands to claim from the fallen kingdoms. the land north of Whiterun was claimed by Luciscum, but they left the city abandoned to be a reminder to all those who would oppose them. Category:Cities Category:Constructed by Mercii Volen Category:A Broken Nirn Category:Locations